Actress and singer Kimberley Walsh is set to appear in a guest role in Brit drama 'Ackley Bridge' as it returns next month. Kimberley will play the character of coach Clare Butterworth, the feisty ex-wife of Steve (Paul Nicholls) and mother to their child Zak.

The character of Clare is that of a sly, home-wrecking netball teacher. She will definitely bring on the wrath of some townsfolk when she turns up unannounced at Ackley Bridge. Earlier in the show, Clare had caused quite a lot of trouble and was asked to stay away from Ackley by Mandy. However, now that Mandy and Steve have split due to Mandy’s fling with Sadiq (Adil Ray), she sees no reason to stay away when she needs Steve to look after Zak, and she jumps at the chance to get her claws back into Steve and put Mandy’s nose out of joint at the same time.

Kimberley in a statement about the appearance says, "It was so much fun appearing as Clare in Ackley Bridge, it’s such a fantastic show with a brilliant cast so it was an honor to be part of it! Clare is quite different from other characters I’ve played in the past. She is sassy and strong and comes to blows a few times with Mandy which was really fun to play. It was great fun working with Jo Joyner and Paul Nicholls on this storyline."

This could just be the Girls Aloud singer's breakout role. According to a Channel 4 source, Kimberley jumped at the chance. "She loves acting and she’s trying to do more of it. She had small roles in Disney series 'The Lodge and Horrid Henry: The Movie'. Her new part is definitely something to get her teeth into and Claire will ruffle some ­feathers. Her clashes with Mandy will be good fun for viewers."

Ackley Bridge was created by Ayub Khan Din and Kevin Erlis.

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MEAWW is an initialism for Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. We are one of the world’s fastest growing
media-tech companies with hubs around the world. MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of
reporters on a platform technologically tailored to meet the needs of the modern reader.